Fuel burner valve and safety coupling



Dec. 29, 1959 R. J. MCGRAW ETAL FUEL BURNER VALVE AND SAFETY COUPLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1955 F l INVENTORS ROGER J.MGRAw BY G ORGE A GATEs Lft/W ATTO RN EY Dec. 29, 1959 R J, MCGRAW ETAL FUEL BURNER VALVE AND SAFETY COUPLING 2 sheets-Sheet 2 W S S A W ,wm R A Y %k NN m c G. M N A R EJE O was l E R T G@ A C m G Y B msm.

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United States Patent O FUEL BURNER VALVE AND SAFETY COUPLNG -Roger J. McGraw and George A. Gates, Barberton,

Ohio, assignors to The Babcock 8; Wilcox Company, vNew York, NSY., a corporation of New Jersey The invention relates in general to a fluid fuel burner valve coupling. More, particularly, the invention relates to a liquid fuel burner safety coupling combined with an accident preventing valve.

The conventional oil burner coupling commonly in use Vfor ldetachably connecting an atomizer barrel or burner barrel to a source of high pressure oil consists of a body in which there is a chamber adapted to receive high pressure oil. The outlet from the body mates with a burner barrel in iluid-tight relationship. This relationship is maintained by a yoke mounted clamp so constructed that upon loosening a screw carried by the clamp the iluid-tight relationship between the barrel and the body is broken. Under many conditions o-f service, it is necessary to remove the burner barrels from operation at frequent intervals for cleaning and/or service. It has happened that, due to the carelessness or inattentiveness of the operators, the oil pressure is not turned off and upon looseningJ the yoke clamp the fluid-tight relationship of the coupling is destroyed and oil sprays over the area surrounding the burner front. Such a condition is dangerous to the operator and to the equipment in the vicinity of the burner.

The presentinvention is directed to apparatus which considerably reduces the opportunity for the above described accident by providing a Huid valve and safety coupling.,7 assembly in which the coupling body includes a hand operated valve constructed and arranged so that the only time the valve may be opened is when the b-urner barrel is correctly in place. Under any other circumstances, the valve cannot be opened irrespective of the position of the hand operator. The invention involves mechanism for effecting this result. This mechanism involves a slidable valve seat so arranged, relative to the valve, that the valve engages with the slidable valve seat in all of its positions except when the burner barrel is in position.

Further, the valve is positively operated by a rotating cam so as to be positionable between two limits. Additionally, the safety coupling and valve may be arranged `for a return ow type oil burner under which condition there is a second valve in the body which is actuated by the hand operator for the iirst valve, the seeond valve being arranged to receive the low pressure fluid returning from the burner so that it will also be closed Whenever the burner barrel is removed from the coupling.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this speciication, but for al better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical side view of the invention in operating position.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on a line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of another embodiment of the invention arranged for a return flow type burner.

Fig. 4 is a section of the valve member taken on a line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the annular type valve seat common to the valves of Figs. l and 3.

Fig. 1 shows a portion of a burner barrel 10 in which the goose neck end 12 is shown coupled to a valve and safety coupling of the present invention. The Valve body 14 has an upper piece 15 arranged to longitudinally support the burner barrel .lll and the seal cap 16. The valve body .also has a yoke 17 (or U-shaped clamp) pivoted at 18 having a compression screw 19 in one end. The yoke is arranged to swing over the burner barrel goose neck 12 so that the compression screw 19 may bear on the goose neck and force it into iluid-tight relationship with the valve and safety coupling valve body 14.

The valve body 14 has an elongated passage 2l)` (of circular cross-section) therethrough at one end of the body 14 and there is attached a body extension piece Z2 which increases the length of the passage 20, Within the body passage there is an annular shaped coupling member 24 mounted in slidable relationship with the walls of the passage 20 and arranged so that its outward movement is limited by the body extension piece 22. The coupling members inward movement is also adjustable and limited by a coupling member extension piece 26 which is threaded thereon. An O ring seal 28 maintains the duid-tight relationship of the coupling member 24 with .the wall of the passage 2li. Within the middle portion of the valve body passage 2l), there is an annular Valve seat member 3d slidably mounted in the passage 20 and maintained in a Huid-tight relationship by the O lring 31. The member 3l) has a valve seat 32 with slots 33 cut therein in a castellated manner as can be more clearly seen in Fig. 5. The movement of the valve seat member is limited in one direction by the left hand end of the coupling member 24 and in the other direction on the end of the coupling extension piece 26, thus, the seat is free to move, but within denite limits.

There is an elongated valve 36 positioned axially of the passage and having a disc 38 arranged to engage the valve seat 32 (or valve seating surface) of the slidable member Sil. A spring 39 is operatively arranged to urge the coupling member 24 outwardly while urging the valve 36 inwardly. Therefore, because of the relationship of the coupling member 24, seat member 36 and valve 36, the spring tends to close the valve. The valve 36 extends past a lluid inlet i0 and its end is secured in a valve piston 42. The piston is slidably mounted in the passage 20 and is maintained in fluid-tight relationship by the O ring 44. In the outer end of the valve piston, there is provided a slot 45 into which there is closely fitted a rotatable cam or crank member 48. The cam 48 is mounted on a shaft 5@ which extends through the valve body 14, the shaft being positioned and held in operative position by a bushing 52. A handle 54 (or crank) is ,xed on the shaft to turn the shaft Sil, thus turn the cam 48 to longitudinally position the valve 36.

The operation of the valve and safety coupling can best be understood by a description of its operating characteristics with reference to the drawings.

When a fluid under high pressure is introduced into the passage 20 via the inlet 40, the iluid flows over th valve 36 past the slideable seat member 30, through the coupling member and into the goose neck 12 of the burner barrel 10. vThe flow of the fluid past the seat member 30 tends to engage the seating surface 32 with the valve 36 but the castellated portion 33 is against the end of the coupling member 24 and is thereby' preventing this engagement.

,v As long as there is fluid pressure in the passage 20, the burner barrel cannot be removed fromthe coupling. If an attempt is made to loosen the screw 19 of the yoke clamp 17, the coupling member 24, under the inuence of the fluid pressure, will follow the movement of the goose neck 12 while maintaining a fluid-tight joint. As the screw 19 is loosened further the movement of the coupling member 24 allows the seating surface 32 to engage the valve disc 38 to shut oi the iluid. However, the yoke clamp 18 cannot be dropped to allow the barrel 10 to be removed from the coupling because any inward movement of the goose neck 12 would open the iuid valve 36.

If the handle 54 is turned counterclockwise 90, the cam 48 assisted by the spring 39 moves the valve piston 42 `and valve 36 away from the coupling member. The disc 38 engages the seat 30 pulling the seat rearward, thus arresting the iluid ow. Additionally seat 30 prevents the coupling member 24 from moving outwardly, by holding the extension piece 26. Thus, with the valve in this position, by loosening the screw 19 on the yoke olamp 18, the burner barrel 10 can be removed from the coupling.

Further, when the valve 36 is to be opened and the burner barrel 10 is properly in position, the valve does not open until the handle 54 is rotated counterclockwise about 70 and the castellated end 33 of the seat strikes the coupling member 24. The seat then stops, but the valve 36 continues to its travel limit, thus opening. The 70 travel of the handle allows the rise of momentum to crack the valve and thus reduces the force of pull required on the handle 54.

The embodiment shown in Figs. l and 2 prevents a burner barrel from being installed or removed from its operating position when the valve handle 54 and cam 48 are in their open position, thus accidents in a reroom are largely prevented.

In Fig. 3, the invention is applied to a uid valve and safety coupling adapted for use with a return ow fuel burner of the type described in the patent to Harvey et al. 2,369,046.

A burner barrel goose neck 12a arranged to pass a high pressure fluid through the pass 60 and to receive -a portion of the lluid at a lower pressure into a pass 62, is coupled in lluid-tight relationship to a valve and safety coupling 64. The valve and coupling has a high pressure iluid inlet and safety coupling arranged as described above with respect to Figs. 1 and 2 and a low pressure discharge Valve and coupling. The parts of the high pressure Valve and coupling are designated by the same numerals used in Figs. l and 2 but are distinguished by the appended letter a.

` The operation of the valve and coupling is substantially identical to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The Valve body 14a also has a second elongated passage 66 parallel to passage 20a with an outlet 68 arranged to pass out low pressure fluid from the pass 62 of the goose neck 12a. Disposed in the passage 66 is a valve comprising a slidable annular seat 69 and a valve disc 70.

The disc 70 is integrally mounted on an annular coupling piece 72 which slides along the wall 74 of the passage 66. 'Ihe coupling piece is maintained in fluidtight relation with the wall 74 by the O ring seal 76 and a lateral slot 78 is cut therethrough for the ow of the fluid past the disc 70 (as shown in Fig. 4). The outward end of the coupling piece 72 is adapted to mate with the goose neck 12a.

The annular seat 69 is maintained in Huid-tight relationship by the O rings 80 and is operated by the handle 54a through the transfer pieces 82, 84. These transfer pieces are held by screws 86, and require that the annular seat 69 be longitudinally moved in direct response to the position of the cam 48a. The spring 90 although urging the valve closed, has the primary duty to urge the coupling piece 72 outward and to follow the goose neck 12a in case the yoke clamp 18a is loosened.

In this embodiment, as the yoke clamp screw 19a is loosened, both the coupling member 24a and the coupling piece 72 move outward and maintain a fluid tight coupling with the goose neck 12a. Further, because of this movement the discs 38a, 70 and seats 30a, 69 engage to close both valves, thus shutting oi the ilow of fluid in both passages 60 and 62. Additionally, the goose neck 12a cannot be removed without putting the handle 54a in its normally closed or vertical position. Also if the goose neck 12a is removed and the yoke 18a is dropped with handle 54a in the normally open or horizontal position, the extensions 22 of the coupling members 24a and 72 prevent the insertion of the goose neck, and the valves are closed.

While in accordance with the provision of the statutes, we have illustrated and described herein a specic form of the invention now known to us, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention covered by our claims, and that certain features of the invention may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of the other features.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a valve body having an elongated passage therein, means forming an inlet into said passage for connection to a source of fluid under pressure, one end of said passageV arranged for the discharge of said fluid, a rst annular shaped valve member with its outer periphery slidably mounted in fluid-tight relationship with the surface of said passage and having a valve seat on one end thereof, a second valve member having a disc engageable with said seat to control the flow of said fluid through said passage, valve operating means mounted on said valve body to position said second valve member longitudinally of said passage within. predetermined limits, and valve limiting means arranged in said uid discharge end of said passage for limiting the longitudinal movement of said first valve member to prevent engagement of the valve disc with the seat when the second valve member is one of the limits of its travel.

2. In combination, a valve body having an elongated passage therein, means forming an inlet into said passage for connection to a source of fluid under pressure, one end of said passage arranged for the discharge of said fluid, a first annular shaped valve member with its outer periphery slidably mounted in fluid-tight relationship with the surface of said passage and having a valve seat on `one end thereof, a second valve member having a disc engageable with said seat to control the flow of said llud through said passage, valve operating means mounted on said valve body to position said second valve ,member longitudinally of said passage within predetermined limits, valve limiting means arranged in said uid discharge end of said passage for limiting the longitudinal movement of said rst valve member to prevent engagement of the Valve `disc with the seat when the valve is at one of the limits of its travel, a second passage in said valve body, a iluid outlet opening from said second passage, valve means in said second passage connected to and arranged to be operated by said valve operating means concurrently with said second valve member in said rst named passage, removable fluid conducting means arranged to mate in fluid-tight relationship with said valve means and to receive iluid under pressure from said rst named passage and to deliver at least a portion of said iluid to said second passage, and said valve means arranged to be closed irrespective of the position of said valve operating means except when said t Y fluid conducting' means is in fluid-tight relationship with said valve means.

3. In combinationaa valve body having an elongated passage therein, means forming an inlet into said passage for connection to a s'r'cev of fluid ,under pressure, one end of sid passage arranged for the discharge of said fluid, a first annular shaped valve member with its outer periphery slidably mounted in fluid-tight relationship with the surface of said passage and having a valve seat on one end thereof, a second valve member having a disc engageable with said seat to control the flow of said fluid through said passage, valve operating means mounted on said valve body to position said second valve member longitudinally of said passage within predetermined limits, and valve limiting means arranged in said fluid discharge end of said passage for limiting the longitudinal movement of said first valve member to prevent engagement of the valve disc with the seat when the valve is at one of the limits of its travel including an annular fluid coupling member having one end extending into and slidably mounted in fluid-tight relation with the surface of said passage at the fluid discharge end thereof, said coupling member being arranged to detachably mate at its other end with a fluid conduit for the floW of fluid from said passage, clamp means supported by said valve body for holding said conduit and coupling member in fluid-tight relationship and positioning said coupling member in a fully inserted position Within said passage, said coupling member being formed so that at its fully inserted position it contacts and limits the longitudinal movement of said slidable first valve member and prevents the engagement of said seat and said disc when said second valve member is at one limit of its travel.

4. In combination, a valve body having an elongated passage therein, means forming an inlet into said passage for connection to a source of fluid under pressure, one end of said passage arranged for the discharge of said fluid, a first annular shaped valve member with its outer periphery slidably mounted in fluid-tight relationship with the surface of said passage and having a valve seat on one end thereof, a second valve member having a disc engageable with said seat to control the flow of said fluid through said passage, valve operating means mounted on said valve body to position said second valve member longitudinally of said passage within predetermined limits, and valve limiting means arranged in said fluid discharge end of said passage for limiting the longitudinal movement of said first valve member to prevent engagement of the valve disc with the seat when the valve is at one of the limits of its travel including an annular fluid coupling member having ,one end extending into and slidably mounted in fluid-tight relation with the surface of said passage at the fluid discharge end thereof, said coupling member being arranged to detachably mate at its other end with a fluid conduit for the flow of fluid from said passage, clamp means supported by said valve body for holding said conduit and coupling member in fluid-tight relationship and positioning said coupling member in a fully inserted position within said passage, said coupling member being formed so that it its fully inserted position it contacts and limits the longitudinal movement of said slidable first valve member and prevents the engagement of said seat and said disc when said second valve member is at `one limit of its travel, said second valve member, first valve member, valve body, coupling member, and valve operating means arranged and proportioned to maintain said disc and seat engaged at all positions of said second valve member except when said coupling is in its fully inserted position.

5. In combination, a valve body having an elongated passage therein, means forming an inlet into said passage for connection to a source of fluid under pressure, one end of said passage arranged for the discharge of said id,v a first annular shaped valve member with its outer periphery slidably mounted in fluid-tight relationship with the surface of said passage and having a valve seat on one end thereof, a second valve member having a disc,r engageable with said seat to control the flow of said fluid through said passage, valve operating means mounted on said valve body to position said second valve member longitudinally `of said passage within predetermined limits, valve limiting means arranged in said fluid discharge end of said passage for limiting the longitudinal movement of said first valve member to prevent engagement of the valve disc With the seat when the valve is at one of the limits of its travel including an annular fluid coupling member having one end extending into and slidably mounted in fluid-tight relation with the surface of said passage at the fluid discharge end thereof, said wcoupling member being arranged to detachably mate at its other end with a fluid conduit for the flow of fluid from said passage, clamp means supported by said valve body for holding said conduit and coupling member in fluidtight relationship and positioning said coupling member in a fully inserted position within said passage, said coupling member being formed so that at its fully inserted position it contacts and limits the longitudinal movement of said slidable first valve member and prevents the engagement of said seat and said disc when said second valve member is at one limit of its travel, and spring means compressively mounted to contact said second valve member and coupling member to urge said coupling member out of its fully inserted position Within said passage.

6. In combination, a valve body having an elongated passage therein, means forming an inlet into said passage for connection to a source of fluid under pressure, one end of said passage arranged for the discharge of said fluid, a first annular shaped valve member With its outer periphery slidably mounted in fluid-tight relationship with the surface of seaid passage and having a valve seat on one end thereof, a second valve member having a disc engageable with said seat to control the flow of said fluid through said passage, valve operating means mounted on said valve body to position said second valve member longitudinally of said passage within predetermined limits, valve limiting means arranged in said fluid discharge end of said passage for limiting the longitudinal movement of said first Valve member to prevent engagement of the valve disc with the seat When the valve is at one of the limits of its travel including an annular fluid coupling member having one end extending into and slidably mounted in fluid-tight relation with the surface of said passage at the fluid discharge end thereof, said coupling member being arranged to detachably mate at its other end with a fluid conduit for the flow of fluid from said passage, clamp means supported by said valve body for holding said conduit and coupling member in fluid-tight relationship and positioning said coupling member in a fully inserted position within said passage, said coupling member being formed so that at its fully inserted position it contacts and limits the longitudinal movement of said slidable first valve member and prevents the engagement of said seat and said disc when said second valve member is at one limit of its travel, said second valve member, first valve member, valve body, coupling member, and valve operating means arranged and proportioned to maintain said disc' and seat engaged at all positions of said second valve member except when said coupling is in its fully inserted position, and spring means compressively mounted to contact said second Valve member and coupling member to urge said coupling member out of its fully inserted position within said passage, said valve operating means comprising a rotatable cam arranged to positively move said second valve member between said limits, and a rotatable handle external of said valve body and operatively connected to drive said cam, said clamp means arranged to engage said 7 v Y 8 conduit so that the c1amp-remans so engaged so long as A References Cited-in the le of this patentV fluid pressure is maintained in said passage, said second UNITED STATES PATENTS valve member being arranged to be urged by the ud Y pressure not to engage said seat as the second valve mem- 214441414 Y Anderson et al- I1115/ 5 1943 ber moves from said one limit to travel to any other 5 2,451,218 Hengst l OGL 12, 1948 position. 2,484,924 Anderson Oct. 18, Y1949 

